The present invention relates to an apparatus for wire-tieing and, more particularly, to a novel wire-twisting subassembly used in a wire-tieing machine.
Pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric wire-tieing machines having means for gripping and twisting two wires, or opposite ends of the same wire, together are well-known. One such machine, sold by U.S. Wire Tie Systems, a unit of the assignee of the present invention, is known as the Model-1302 Portable Pneumatic Wire-Tieing Machine. This machine utilizes a slotted wire-twister pinion having reduced diameter journal portions extending from opposite ends of a central gear portion. Separate bearing elements are mounted for supporting the gear, and cutters must be separately installed for cutting the wire. Such parts are subject to wear and breakage and must be replaced from time to time. In addition, different sizes of twister gears and cutters may be required for processing wires of different gauge, so that, again, the twister gear and cutters must be changed. Such changes of parts may require considerable down time whereby the efficiency in the overall wire-tieing operation is reduced.